1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to the field of electrical connectors and, more specifically, to receivers having slide cam mechanisms that are designed to facilitate the engagement of the receiver and an interchangeable test adapter.
2. Description of Related Art
In the process of testing complex electrical and electromechanical systems, it is often desirable to bring many electrical contacts into contact with each other simultaneously, so as to facilitate efficient connection and disconnection of testing equipment and particular units under test. One particular type of connection mechanism that may be used for this purpose is the connection system disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,329,005 to Braginetz et al., the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
The Braginetz et al. patent discloses a rectangular receiver that includes two lever-driven sliding cam plates, one on each of the left and right inner faces of the receiver. Each sliding cam plate includes a profiled cam slot. The receiver also includes a stationary hanger plate positioned directly adjacent to the profiled cam slot of each sliding cam plate. A portion of the stationary hanger plate projects horizontally from the receiver. The receiver is designed to engage an interchangeable test adapter (ITA) that carries corresponding electrical contacts. When the electrical contacts carried by an ITA are to be brought into engagement with corresponding electrical contacts in the receiver, rollers on each of the left and right sides of the ITA are initially placed so that they rest partially on the respective stationary hanger plates and partially in the profiled cam slots of the sliding cam plates. When the lever that drives the sliding cam plates is actuated, the action of the profiled cam slots against the rollers of the ITA forces the ITA to move inwardly or outwardly, towards or away from the receiver, depending on the direction of lever actuation. Therefore, the motion of the lever and the consequent motion of the sliding cam plates causes the electrical contacts carried by the ITA and those carried by the receiver to move into or out of engagement with one another.
Typically, the ITA would carry wiring and associated connectors for a unit under test, while the receiver would carry wiring and associated connectors for the corresponding test equipment. In some configurations, the ITA may include an electromagnetic shielding enclosure.
Users of commercial receivers similar to the type disclosed in Braginetz et al. have found horizontally extending hanger plates to be very convenient, because they allow an ITA to rest on the receiver without being brought into engagement with it. However, the hanger plates do create certain problems. For example, if the receiver includes hanger plates, an electromagnetic shielding enclosure used with the ITA can be essentially no wider than the engaging portion of the ITA, because a wide shielding enclosure may contact the horizontally projecting ends of the hanger plates and prevent the ITA from being brought into engagement with the receiver. Additionally, the hanger structures of the Braginetz et al. patent make it difficult to rest an ITA in the hangers without actuating the engaging mechanism.